Chapter 342: Gleipnir

As Cedric was overwhelmed with deep emotion while stroking Gleipnir's massive bones, Kim Minwoo was carefully examining the system window floating in the empty air.

The ultimate transmutation infused with massive materials.

Having smashed the Abyss Lord's bloodline into the bones of an ancient dragon that lived for over 10,000 years, it was obvious what the result would be even without looking, but confirming it directly with his own two eyes was a different kind of thrill.

[Checking summon information.]

[Name: Gleipnir.]

[Type: Special Undead. (Exclusive mount for Cedric)]

[Description: The ultimate divine dragon born from the fusion of an ancient dragon's bones, the Abyss Lord's bloodline, and the divinity of death. Only those permitted by Cedric can ride on this dragon's back.]

[Effect 1. Primordial Dragon Scales: Reduces physical and magical damage by 80%, and absolutely nullifies magic and status effects of a lower grade than the target.]

[Effect 2. Breath of the Abyss: Spews a breath containing the toxic gas of the abyss and the grudge of the ancient dragon. Permanently corrodes the hit target's defense and regeneration.]

[Effect 3. Rider of the Soul: Perfectly shares health and mana with the exclusive rider Cedric, and all of Cedric's spearmanship power is amplified by 200% while in a mounted state.]

[Effect 4. Transcendent Flight: Possesses a flight ability that ignores spatial constraints, and provides an absolute protective barrier without any shaking to the rider during flight.]

“……It's crazy, seriously.”

A hollow laugh leaked out naturally from Kim Minwoo's mouth.

It was the moment the bone dragons he had been riding around until now, Il-ryong and I-ryong, instantly degenerated into big neighborhood lizards.

There was not a single option to throw away.

80% damage reduction and absolute nullification of lower-tier magic?

This was just a flying fortress.

On top of that, it inflated the spearmanship power of the rider, Cedric, by a whopping two times.

“Hey, Cedric. How long are you just going to stroke it.”

Kim Minwoo pointed at the passage heading to the surface with his chin.

“Come out. We have to do a test drive.”

―Understood, Master.

Cedric leaped in a single breath and climbed onto Gleipnir's back.

The moment the knight took his place on the perfect bone saddle that seemed prepared for him, the golden flame blazing in Gleipnir's eye sockets burned explosively.

Kim Minwoo also lightly threw his body and mounted behind Cedric.

“Depart.”

―Hold on tight!

Kuaaaaang―!

Gleipnir soared up along with a rupture sound as if the underground cavity would collapse.

The speed at which it pierced through the surface of District 6 in an instant and shot up into the sky was on a different trajectory from the existing bone dragons.

Literally a speed that tore through space and advanced.

Deafening roars breaking the speed of sound erupted in succession, but not even a wind that would shake a single strand of hair touched Kim Minwoo's body.

[Gleipnir's Transcendent Flight barrier is currently applied.]

“Wow, the ride quality is good?”

Kim Minwoo admired sincerely.

Even riding in the highest-grade sedan could not be more comfortable than this.

The speed was running wild crazily, but vibration, noise, and wind were all perfectly blocked.

Flying leisurely above the clouds of the Heavenly City, Kim Minwoo asked Cedric in the front seat.

“How is it? Is it exactly to your liking?”

―……It is perfect. It could not be more perfect than this.

Cedric's voice was still wet with deep emotion.

“You, during the first arrangement. The appearance of you I saw for the first time back then was your complete form period fighting with Mutakta, right. You finally regained your true partner Gleipnir too, so how is your strength now compared to back then? Have you almost recovered your prime skills?”

The absolute prime of the Dragon Knight who shone the brightest under the Death Lord in the past.

Cedric fell silent for a moment and recalled the memories of that time. Soon after, he lightly spun the spear held in his hand.

The aura of the golden dragon strike spewing out through the perfect communion with Gleipnir condensed terribly at the tip of the spear.

―……I have almost recovered everything. No, rather, Gleipnir's skeletal frame might be harder than back then.

―Having been newly forged with the bloodline of the Abyss Lord and even the Master's divinity dwelling in the bones of an ancient dragon that endured for over 30,000 years, not 10,000 years…… it is safe to say that its potential alone has surpassed the Gleipnir of the past. And I…….

The blue eye glints blazing in Cedric's empty eye sockets shone fiercely.

―I have not yet reached the martial prowess of my complete form period, which was the absolute prime of my previous life. It seems it is because the Master's level is still insufficient. However…… I do get the feeling that day is not far off.

“Right. It's good that you're very reassuring.”

The worth of his investment overflowed to the point of spilling down.

He had secured ultra-long-range firepower by reviving Ifrin as a Death Sniper, and completed the ultimate boss of close-combat breakthrough power by perfectly restoring Cedric's partner from his prime, Gleipnir.

On top of that, the core material that would pierce through his potential (-999), the heart of the ancient dragon, was carefully enshrined in his inventory.

‘My level is also almost approaching 800…….’

The time he guessed the Legion Commanders' 3rd seal would be released was either level 700 or level 800. His current level was 795.

Seeing that the 3rd seal had not been released despite that, it seemed to be a structure where it would be released only upon reaching level 800.

Considering how they had gotten stronger every time the seal was released by one stage…….

‘Then it means I just need to raise it by 5 more levels. But honestly, if I clash head-on with Yoo Honbi right now…… it will probably become quite a tiring dogfight.’

Kim Minwoo cool-headedly measured the estimate of his combat power.

Even Lilith, the weakest of the Seven Lords who descended to District 9 in the past, was a monster who easily surpassed the 10,000-level mark.

On the other hand, the level of Baal, who was the strongest Great Lord of the Demon Realm, was also around the 10,000 mark.

In other words, the Seven Lords sitting at the top of this Heavenly City, where survivors from all dimensions gathered, were on average of a much higher class than the Great Lords of the Demon Realm.

Even when catching Lupus, hadn't he only managed to cleave him in half after dragging out the descent of his divinity and Guidance of Destiny (Favorability 95), pouring out every ultimate move he had?

‘Is there a need to fight a bloody battle right now with the Heavenly Demon who is filled with venom?’

At that moment, a flashing thought crossed Kim Minwoo's mind.

“……Wait a minute.”

The corners of Kim Minwoo's mouth crept up slowly.

“Cedric.”

―Speak, Master.

“Do you remember Baal, who is holed up in the Demon Realm?”

―Of course I remember. Isn't he the guy who lost that arrogant 1st place seat to Vulcan in this upper Ranking Battle and rolled down below.

“Exactly.”

Kim Minwoo flicked his finger.

“That guy, isn't he a total walking honey pot right now? Iron Blood King Carnos, who was his direct proxy in the Ranking Battle, was also sliced to death by me. Having been pushed out of the rankings, all of his honey lands and resources in the Demon Realm were ripped away by Vulcan.”

Kim Minwoo's eyes sparkled.

“Furthermore, I even extorted his most core authorities, his regeneration and magic eye, by eating the elixir in the past. He's practically in a state of an empty husk, an easy mark.”

Rather than fighting a fresh member of the Seven Lords, shaking down the former 1st place Great Lord of the Demon Realm who had lost everything and was missing his teeth was overwhelmingly cost-effective.

The benefits he could obtain by catching and crushing Baal transcended imagination.

First, the Death Lord's legacy.

Not only did that guy know the locations of two of the Death Emperor's repositories, but there was a 100% chance he was holding one of the legacies, the Death Emperor's Belt.

Second, Baal's Elixir. An Ancient + grade elixir that raised all stats by 50, up to a maximum of 500.

Baal's physical body was the material for that elixir.

From his bones, to his hair, and even his teeth.

There was not a single thing to throw away.

Furthermore…….

‘I can go to fight, can't I.’

The Ranking Battle was created so that the demon lords wouldn't fight each other, not to prevent outsiders from striking the demon lords. He knew that the upper demon lords were waiting for the proxy period to end to crush this side, but…….

‘I just have to do the reverse, right?’

First, go to the Demon Realm.

And catch Baal first.

“If I loot Baal's corpse whole and throw it to Choi Yuna…… she would be able to churn out Baal's elixirs at the level of infinite copying. Since the corpse is also so huge…….”

It was then.

‘No, wait a minute.’

He paused.

Because a few genius plans came to his mind.

‘Is there a need to kill him once and loot only the corpse whole?’

If he kills him, the elixir materials would only amount to exactly one corpse. However, if he captures the guy alive, the story changes.

‘External heals and potions work on demons too.’

In the past arrangement, when he made Vulcan self-harm and then poured a highest-tier recovery potion on him, there was a time Vulcan was amazed as his flesh smoothly recovered.

Of course, Baal was in a state where his regeneration had been extorted by him.

However, that did not mean recovery itself was impossible, because if that were the case, it meant if Baal fell to the floor and merely scraped his knee, he would eventually fail to recover from a single small wound and die…….

‘That makes no sense.’

He had been deprived of the characteristic called strong regeneration, but the basic regeneration inherent to a demon's physical body would still remain. It meant if he carved out the bones and pulled out the teeth, and then poured highest-tier potions on him, he could regenerate him indefinitely.

‘Raising him as an undead is the last resort…….’

If he is raised as an undead, rotten blood would naturally flow.

His teeth and hair would also be contaminated, so proper elixirs might not be produced.

‘Let's make him a subordinate first.’

The title [Master of the Balrog King] obtained in the past when he raised Vulcan to the 1st place in the rankings.

Its 1st effect was exactly ‘can subordinate various demons’.

‘I haven't really tried subordinating any before, though…….’

Then wouldn't it be fine to experiment this time?

Kim Minwoo's thought circuit gained acceleration and drew up a terrifyingly elaborate blueprint.

Capture the guy alive.

Next, somehow subordinate him and drag him to Earth to hand over to the alchemist Choi Yuna, extract elixirs using the guy's bones, flesh, and blood as materials, regenerate him with external heals, and extract again.

He himself had already eaten all 10, but it meant he could feed a handful of Baal's elixirs to his core summons as well as his guild members Park Siwoo, Seo Yerim, and Han Siah. Furthermore, if that wasn't enough, he could even supply the elixirs to Earth.

‘Or I can just sell them to the Witch Coven.’

It was truly the completion of an elixir copying route.

What if recovery itself is impossible?

It wouldn't be too late to kill him and raise him as an undead to extract them then.

Kim Minwoo smiled chillingly while recalling the [Demon Realm Access Pass] carefully enshrined in a corner of his inventory.

His heart pounded with anticipation.